Late afternoon at Fort Frederick looking east towards the Port Elizabeth harbour and Algoa Bay beyond. The fort, which is the oldest building in Port Elizabeth, was built in 1799 to protect the Bay from invasion and was the first permanent stone structure to be built by the British in Africa south of the equator.
During the last week or two we have had two cruise ships visit the Port Elizabeth harbour on cruises along the South African coast. Usually the locals have to look at the ships from afar due to strict harbour security (too strict some days if you ask me). I had to do some work quay side for the MSC Symfonia and as I never go anywhere without my camera I took the opportunity to snap this picture.
Mention the word "waterfront" in South Africa and everybody would immediately think of the V&A Waterfront on the Cape Town harbour. What few people know is that the first harbour front emporium in South Africa (actually in Africa) was developed in Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula. Fourth generation Hout Bay resident, Stanley Dorman, designed and developed Mariner's Wharf in the Hout Bay Harbour after visiting similar developments all over the world. Mariner's Wharf opened in 1984 and today is…
Looking towards the Port Elizabeth harbour from the top a building in the city centre the Campanile is visible in the foreground. The little half moon window just above the clock is the viewing deck which is reached by climbing the tower's 204 steps. Above that just behind the pillars are the Campanile's carillon of 23 bells, largest carillon in South Africa.
A phantom ship in Algoa Bay? No not quite, but wouldn't it have been awesome (and life changing) if I did capture one? The rainy weather around town the last couple of days meant that I could barely see the harbour from Shark Rock Pier at Hobie Beach the other morning. This ship kept of disappearing in the mist. Like a phantom ship...
This narrow guage railway bridge (if I can call is that), crosses one of the old unused South End Roads below Beach Road close to the Humewood Station. I was just curious to see it from up close and ventured down to it. It made for a nice window towards the harbour.
An ore ship loading manganese ore at the Port Elizabeth harbour. In the foreground is a couple of yachts at anchor next to the Algoa Bay Yacht Club.
One of the major eyesores and talking points along the Port Elizabeth beachfront is the Manganese ore terminal between Kings Beach and the Port Elizabeth Harbour. Not just does it look ugly, but the dust of the ore gets blown over the Humewood area when the wind blows from the north east. There are hopes that the ore terminal along with the tank farm next to it will be moved to the Coega Industrial Port. The manganese gets mined in…
Better late than never. The South African Navy recently did a joint exercises along with the navies from India and Brazil along the South African coast. Part of the exercise took place in Algoa Bay and the ships spent a couple of days in the Port Elizabeth Harbour. The ships were open to the public on the Saturday, but unfortunately I had a prior engagement and couldn't go. I did get a peek at the ships from the Humerail shopping centre…
Whenever there's a storm brewing the fishing boats catching fish and chokka out in and just outside Algoa Bay sails into the bay to find shelter and ride it out. The other day I got the perfect scene with a yacht sailing past a number of fishing boats and a couple of big ships in the background waiting to enter the Port Elizabeth Harbour. The gantry cranes right in the back are at the Coega Harbour on the other side…